Apparatus for wet-treating strip materials



April 22, 1941' J. J. HIMSWORTH APPARATUS FOR- WET-TREATING STRIP ATERIALS Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 4, 1940 mu NI? WN 0N April 1941- J. J. HIMSWORTH I APPARATUS FOR WET-TREATING STRIP MATERIAIJS Filed not. 4, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 22 1941.

J. J. HIMSWORTH APPARATUS FOR WET-TREATING STRIP MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 001:. 4,. 1940 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 APPARATUS FOR WET-TREATIN G STRIP MATERIALS James J. flimsworth, Collegeville, Pa., assignor to Continental-Diamond Fibre Company, Newark, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application October 4, 1940, Serial No. 359,815

17 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for wettreating strip material and, more particularly, to an apparatus for use in leaching and puring continuous strip vulcanized fibre.

An important object of the invention is to provide a convenient means for soaking or otherwise wet-treating a continuous strip which will present a maximum portion of the surface of the strip to the treating fluid.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character which will enablev wet treatment of a continuous strip while placing a minimum longitudinal strain upon the material of the strip.

Another object of theinvention is the provision of apparatus of this character which may be very economically manufactured and operated.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment .of my invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating wet-treating apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

. Fig. 2 is a section on line .22 of Fig. l; I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary-plan view illustrating a modified form of drive; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the drive of Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l generally designates a vat which may be of any desired construction and which contains the treating fluid. Rotating within the vat is a reel II, the periphery of which affords a plurality of longitudinally extending uniformly spaced openings. -In the present construction the reel comp-rises end spiders I2 the peripheries of which are connected by a plurality of parallel bars IS, the space between these bars affording the desired openings. Means are provided for intermittently rotating this reel comprising a Geneva movement generally designated at [4, at present shown as consisting of a pin I projecting from the side of a continuously rotating pulley l6 and coasting with a series of teeth I! carried by one of the spiders I2 and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of bars l3.

Means are provided for vertically feeding the strip of material to be treated to the reel so that this strip may enter the openings in the periphery of the reel, this means in the present instance being illustrated as a drum l8 driven from the pulley I6 and, accordingly, having a predetermined peripheral speed with relation to the speed of advancement of reel II. The strip [9 which is to be treated passes over this drum adjacent a fixed bar 20 extending longitudinally of the reel and immediately thereabove and into the spaces between bars [3. It will be obvious that when the Geneva movement I4 causes an advance of the reel, the advancing bar I3 by its engagement with the strip will cause this strip to be flexed about the stationary bar 20 so that when the reel again comes to rest, the strip will be fed between the next pair of bars. This procedure continues as the drum rotates and the loose festoons are passed downwardly through the liquid in the vat in which they will float with their entire surfaces exposed to the treating liquid. Any suitable means may be provided for drawing :off the material from the reel as, for example, the drum iii of a second treating apparatus. Since the festoons merely lie loosely between the rods, no resistance is offered to their withdrawal and, accordingly, the material is subjected to little or no strain other than that offered by the weight of the material between the reel and the withdrawing apparatus. A suitable brake 2| is provided to prevent displacement of the reel other than by the Geneva movement l4.

It will be obvious that, in lieu of the intermittent drive shown in Figures 1 to 3, a slow continuous drive may be employed, if so desired. Such a drive is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, in which the numeral 22 designates a main drive shaft which, through a relatively small pinion 23, drives a gear 24 on a shaft 25. The speed of shaft 25 is further reduced between this shaft and the main reel shaft 26 through an intermediate shaft 2'! at present shown as driven from shaft 25 through pinion 28, gear 29, and chainless sprocket gearing indicated at 30. The relatively high speed of rotation of the strip feeding drum is maintained by providing shaft 25 with a pulley 3| which is connected with the shaft of the drum by a belt 32.

It will be obvious that an apparatus of this character offers an extremely simple and efiicient means for continuously wet-treating strip materials. It will also be obvious that the construction illustrated is capable of considerable modification without departing from thespirit of my invention; 1, accordingly, do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat, an open reel in the vat having its periphery composed of a series of parallel uniformly spaced longitudinally extending bars, means to intermittently rotate the reel, means to feed the strip vertically to the upper surface of the reel to cause the same to enter between the bars, means to prevent transverse displacement of the portions of the strip above the reel during rotation of the reel, and means to withdraw the strip from the reel.

2. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, 2. reel partially submerged in the liquid of the vat and having a plurality of uniformly spaced openings in its periphery, means to feed a strip vertically to the reel, means to impart a step-by-step rotation to the reel to successively align said openings with the strip, and means to prevent defiection of those portions of the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel.

3. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, a reel partially submerged in the liquid of the vat and having a plurality of uniformly spaced openings in its periphery, means to feed a strip vertically to the reel, a rotating pulley having a projecting element arranged adjacent one side of the reel, teeth on the reel for coaction with said projecting element, said teeth being spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between corresponding edges of the openings whereby to impart a stepby-step rotation to the reel to successively align said openings with the strip, and means to prevent deflection of those portions of the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel.

4. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat, an open reel in the vat having its periphery composed of a series of parallel uniformly spaced longitudinally extending bars, means to intermittently rotate the reel, means to feed the strip vertically to the upper surface of the reel to cause the same to enter between the bars, means to prevent transverse displacement of the portions of the strip above the reel during rotation of the reel, means to withdraw 5. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, a reel partially submerged in the liquid of the vat and having a plurality of uniformly spaced openings in its periphery, means to feed a strip vertically to the reel, means to impart a step-by-step rotation to the reel to successively align said openings with the strip, means to prevent deflection of those portions of the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel, and a brake resisting rotation of the reel.

6. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, a reel partially submerged in the liquid of the vat and having a plurality of uniformly spaced openings in its periphery, means to feed a strip vertically to the reel, a rotating pulley having a projecting element arranged adjacent one side of the reel, teeth on the reel for coaction with said projecting element, said teeth being spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between corresponding edges of the openings whereby to impart a step-by-step rotation to the reel to successively align said openings with the strip, means to prevent deflection of those portions of the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel, and a brake resisting rotation of the reel.

. 7. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, a reel partially submerged in the liquid of the vat and having a plurality of uniformly spaced openings in its periphery, means to feed a strip vertically to the reel, means to impart a step-by-step rotation to the reel to successively align said openings with the strip, and means to prevent deflection of those portions of the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel comprising a stationary bar paralleling the surface of the reel and adjacent that face of the strip which is in advance as regards the direction of rotation of the reel.

8. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat, an open reel in the vat having its periphery composed of a series of parallel uniformly spaced longitudinally extending bars, means to intermittently rotate the reel, means to feed the strip vertically to the upper surface of the reel to cause the same to enter between the bars, means to prevent transverse displacement of the portions of the strip above the reel during rotation of the reel comprising a stationary bar paralleling the surface of the reel and disposed at that surface of the strip which is in advance as regards the direction of rotation of the reel, and means to withdraw the strip from the reel.

9. In an apparatus fior wet-treating strip materials, a vat, an open reel in the vat having its periphery composed of a series of parallel uniformly spaced longitudinally extending bars, means to intermittently rotate the reel, means to feed the strip vertically to the upper surface of the reel to cause the same to enter between the bars comprising a rotating drum positioned above the reel and over which the strip is fed, means to prevent transverse displacement of the por-. tions of the strip above the reel ,during rotation of the reel, and means to withdraw the strip from the reel.

10. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, 2. reel partially submerged in the liquid of the vat and having a plurality of uniformly spaced openings in its periphery, means to feed a strip vertically to the reel comprising a rotating drum positioned above the reel and over which the strip is fed, means to impart a step-by-step rotation to the reel to successively align said openings with the strip, and means to prevent deflection of those portions of the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel.

11. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, a reel partially submerged in the liquid ofthe vat and having a plurality of uniformly spaced openings in its periphery, means to feed a strip vertically to the reel, means to impart a step-bystep rotation to the reel to successively align said openings with the strip, means to prevent deflection of those portions of the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel comprising a stationary bar paralleling the surface of the reel and adjacent that face of the strip which is in advance as regards the direction of rotation of th reel, and a brake resisting rotation of the reel.

12. In an'apparatus for wet-treating strip ma- 1 means to intermittently rotate the reel, means to feed the strip vertically to the upper surface of the reel to cause the same to enter between the bars, means to prevent transverse displacement of the portions of the strip above the reel during rotation of the reel comprising a stationary bar paralleling the surface of the reel and disposed at that surface of the strip which is in advance as regards the direction of rotation of the reel, means to withdraw the stripfrom the reel, and a brake resisting rotation of the reel.

13. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat, an open reel in the vat having its periphery composed of a. series of parallel uniformly spaced longitudinally extending bars, means to intermittently rotate the reel, means to feed the strip vertically to the upper surface of the reel to cause the same to enter between the bars comprising a rotating drum positioned above the reel and over which the strip is fed, means to prevent transverse displacement of the portions of the strip ablove the reel during rotation of the reel, means to withdraw the strip from the reel, and a brake resisting rotation of the reel.

14. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, a reel partially submerged in the liquid of the vat and having a plurality of uniformly spaced lopenings in its periphery, means to feed. a strip vertically to the reel comprising a rotating drum positioned above the reel and over which the strip is fed, means to impart a step-by-step rotation to the reel to successively align said :openings with the strip, means to prevent deflection of those portions of the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel, and a brake resisting rotation of the reel.

15. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat, an ppen reel in the vat having itsperiphery composed of a series of parallel uniformly spaced longitudinally extending bars, means to rotate the reel, means to feed the strip vertically to the upper surface of the reel at a speed such as to cause the same to enter between the bars, means to prevent transverse displacement of the portions of the strip 'above the reel during rotation of the reel, and means to withdraw the strip from the reel.

16. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, a reel partially sub-merged in the liquid of the vat and having a plurality of circumierentially spaced. openings in its periphery, means to feed a strip vertically to the reel, means to rotate the reel to successively align said openings with the strip, and means to prevent deflection of those portions of the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel.

17. In an apparatus for wet-treating strip materials, a vat containing treating liquid, a reel partially submerged in the liquid or the vat and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings in its periphery, means to feed a strip vertically to the reel, means to rotate the reel to successively align said openings with the strip, and means to prevent deflection of those portions lot the strip external to the reel during movement of the reel comprising a stationary bar paralleling the surface of the reel and disposed adjacent that surface of the strip which is in advance as regards the direction of rotation of the reel.

JAMES J. HIMSWORTH. 

